Federal Convex Mirror

We have had some really neat finds at the properties. Sure there is a lot of junk, but sometimes you’ll find something worth holding onto- such as this federal convex mirror. We had no idea the history behind it when we found it in a garage, it just looked cool so we kept it.

After a little research we found that the convex mirrors are an old 1700-1800s style mirror out of Europe, particularly Greece and Rome. These mirrors were found in the homes of the wealthy and were elaborately decorated. Often times they would place this type of mirror on either side of the fireplace to illuminate the room. Some mirrors were created with candelabras on either side. Either way, the convex shape of the mirror helped to displace the light into the room since there was no electricity at the time.

Then came the federal convex mirror which was created during the Federal period anywhere from 1790-1830. During this time in America there was a strong sense of nationalism. Leaders like Thomas Jefferson looked to the classical past for inspiration when creating the new American democratic Republic, thus the federal convex mirror was born. This mirror was topped with an eagle symbolizing American independence and tenancy. Many of these mirrors also have balls circling the mirror. It is said that there were 13 of these representing the original 13 colonies.

So what we have is a Federal Convex mirror but it can be a little tough to decipher between an original and a remake. Apparently back in the 1950’s the federal convex mirrors became popular again and were being recreated out of plaster (very similar to the originals). So the one we have is plaster, but without an antique specialist we don’t know if it’s an original or not. Originals can sell for upwards of $3000 or more, whereas a replica is typically somewhere in the hundreds of dollars. Either way it’s an awesome mirror with some pretty neat history. Happy we stumbled across it and had the chance to restore it. It’s the perfect addition to our dining room wall.